Ben Barnes plays Prince Caspian, heir to the Narnian throne. (Courtesy photo)

By Bob Polunsky
Guest Columnist

“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” continues the adventures of the Pevensie children when they return to Narnia to help Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) challenge his wicked uncle, King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), for rights to the throne.

The king murdered his brother, the king, to pave the way for him and his son to ascend the Narnian throne.

The four Pevensie children are summoned back to Narnia a year after their first encounter with the lion, the witch and the wardrobe. But they are surprised to find that 1,300 years have passed in Narnian time.  It doesn’t slow them down, as they are determined to help the prince take his rightful place as a ruler.

But there are complications. Peter Pevensie (William Moseley) doesn’t get along with the prince, and that’s an obstacle that’s difficult to overcome. Part of it is solved when Prince Caspian asserts himself and faces his responsibilities as a ruler. 

In the meantime, there are big battles to fight, and the camera captures the action so that everyone in the audience can feel that they are in the midst of it.

Some of the soldiers wear odd masks as they fight, and some are enhanced by special effects that are as mind-boggling as the plot itself. One instance is the relationship between Lord Glozelle (Pierfrancesco Favino) and King Miraz. Glozelle is Miraz’s general, but he isn’t loyal to him. He intends to get the king killed so he can lead his own attack on the Narnians.

Another instance is the relationship between Miraz and Lord Sopespian (Damian Alcazar) in which Sopespian puts thoughts in the king’s head that are so disturbing that they affect the king’s attitude toward the battle with Prince Caspian.

These conflicts add flavor to the characterizations, but they slow down the action. Things perk up when the talking animals return to the scene, mainly Aslan the lion (voiced by Liam Neeson), Reepicheep, a brave mouse (voiced by Eddie Izzard) and Trufflehunter, a badger (voiced by Ken Stott). All of them are both hindered and helped by Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage), a dwarf with a chip on his shoulder and Nikabrik (Warwick Davis), a treacherous dwarf who once served the White Witch.

The emphasis is on the human characters – especially Caspian and Miraz – instead of the fantasy characters, thereby changing the appeal of the film. The fantasy characters have less to do so the human performers hold the film together. Since they are all adults, the Provensie kids are left on the sidelines and not as involved in the action as they were in the previous film.

The film is more sinister, more moody and certainly more cynical than the first film, and the bad guys are developed more fully than the good guys. Since the battle scenes, special effects and beautifully coordinated cinematography overshadow the human characters, the overall film is better than the sum of its parts.

Studio rating: PG
Bob says: “Flashy action and superficial characterizations”
2 1/2 Stars